PEPPER TUNA PASTA WITH CAPERS

This pasta dish is full of Mediterranean flavours and it takes only 30 minutes to make. Love it! From the cookbook 'Lunch'.

INGREDIENTS:
500g farfalle or any other small pasta
500g tuna steaks
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 ripe roma (plump) tomatoes, finely chopped
3 Tbsp capers
small jar of anchovy fillets, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup olives, seeds removed and roughly chopped (optional)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp chopped chervil or parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD
Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling water until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, make the tomato mixture. Put all ingredients in a work processor and chop. Do not overdo it.

I love anchovies and olives and sometimes crave for them, and it certainly adds more flavour to the dish, but you don't have to use them. If you do, add a cup of deseeded olives and a jar of anchovies, chopped roughly to the tomato and capers. I use parsley instead of chervil.

Drain pasta and return to the pan. Add some olive oil and mix.

Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper and then coat the tuna on both sides with the crushed garlic.

Heat the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan and cook the tuna over high heat until medium-rare.

Remove from the pan and leave for 5 minutes before cutting into thin slices.
Put the pasta onto a serving bowl. Add the tomato mix, and lime juice to the pasta.

Add the tuna (with any juices) and toss together.

Serve immediately.
Serves 4-6

The trick to the dish is to cook the tuna properly. DO NOT OVERCOOK IT!! I remember when growing up in Catalonia, one of my grandmothers (who was a very good cook) use to make a fresh tuna dish and I hated it!! Tuna was very cheap then, believe it or not. I now know why I despised it so much: she cooked the tuna until it resembled a shoe sole!! When cooked properly, it melts in your mouth and it is DELICIOUS!!

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